Another angle
Submitted by Jules on February 19 2002 14:35:56
In reply to Is there no other Way? submitted by Splash! on February 19 2002 00:23:51
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Hi guys, If I can join in this a bit late... You said we have to believe in the death of Jesus so that we can be accepted by God. And that's the normal way people express it. But as you've realised, if you put it that way, then you do have a problem saying how people who haven't heard of the death of Jesus can be redeemed. I've found it helpful to think of the death of Jesus sightly differently, and it helps find a better solution to this problem. I can't believe in a God who can't forgive us without the death of Jesus as a payment or as a substitute for us, paying God off for our sins. That wouldn't be true and free forgiveness. If as a parent you offer your child forgiveness, they are forgiven as soon as they believe that you have forgiven them. That's the only condition. Nothing has to happen to make you forgive them, you just do because they are your child. You forgive freely, and then as soon as they realise that, they are truly forgiven. I really think it's like that with us and God. God offers us free forgivness, and we are forgiven as soon as we realise that. So where does the death of Jesus come into it? It comes into it because it's the ultimate way God has shown us how much he is willing to forgive, and because for most people it was necessary to make them realise it. We're saved by the death of Jesus in the sense that it's the only thing that fully shows us God's heart. God, in the person of Jesus, was willing to go all the way to the cross to show us how much he wants us to accept his forgiveness. Thinking of it that way allows us as Christians to say that Jesus is the only way, in the sense that it's only Jesus who completely shows us God's heart, while at the same time allowing that people in other religions might be able to sense somehow that God is forgiving, even if it's without the same confidence and certainty that the death of Jesus shows us. It's never a clear issue, but I think that way of looking at it helps. With Christian love, Jules |
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